Exercise is one of the most important elements of a healthy lifestyle, but it can be difficult to fit it in with your busy schedule. Studies have shown that regular physical activity can help you shed pounds, increase your energy and even keep mental health in check. It’s also been shown to reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. But if you find yourself tempted to skip your workout because you don’t have enough time, it’s worth knowing that short bursts of exercise are just as effective as long sessions.
That’s why many popular fitness influencers have begun to release 10-minute workout videos that will work your entire body without the need for a gym membership or expensive equipment. The workouts, which vary in intensity from beginners to HIIT sessions, are designed to be done at home, or on the go in the case of a hotel room.
The workouts, which are all led by an instructor, are a great way to get started with a regular exercise routine. The exercises are easy to follow, and most require little or no equipment. Depending on the video, you may need to have something heavy, such as a set of weights or a kettlebell, on hand, but even just a gallon of water or a few books will do the trick for stability.
For more advanced exercisers, there’s a wide range of 10 minute workouts that are available online, from seasoned fitness influencers and trainers. UK fitness trainer Joe Wicks, who served in the British Army before launching his fitness empire, has an extensive selection of workouts on his YouTube channel. Wicks’ 10-minute workouts use a similar structure to his longer HIIT sessions, with sets of 45 seconds of exercise and 15 minutes of rest, including exercises such as marching on the spot, lateral shoulder raises and mountain climbers.
Another renowned fitness influencer, Kayla Itsines, the founder of SWEAT fitness app and former Bikini Body Guide author, has a number of 10 minute workouts on her YouTube channel, most suited to those at an intermediate level of fitness or higher. Unlike her free yoga classes, which are filmed for every occasion or ailment (from desk yoga to a morning wake-up practice) her workouts tend to be less instructional, with Itsines jumping straight in without a full demonstration of the moves.
Finally, there’s the highly rated Madfit YouTube channel from Canadian fitness influencer and trainer Maddie Lymburner. Her workouts are a great option for beginners, with several options that don’t require any equipment and are ideal for those who live in flats where noise may be an issue. For those looking to push their workouts even harder, Madfit’s 10-minute workouts include a few sessions that use compound exercises – such as planks and side lunges – which target multiple muscles at once and will burn even more calories.
Milena Estêvão is a YouTuber passionate about sharing her experiences (challenges, successes and motivations) in the fitness activities she is involved in.
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